{Blog Tour} 1 Peter by Sue Edwards ~ Week 2

Kregel Publications is hosting a "graduated blog tour" of the book 1 Peter: Finding Encouragement in Troubling Times by Sue Edwards. Each week a group of bloggers will be completeing the weekly lesson, blogging about what we've learned, and linking it all up on the Kregel page (you can find that here). 

This week's lesson was titled "Respond like a Bone-Dry Babe" and covered 1 Peter 1:13-2:3. This is where God tells us how to behave. It seems we might need some constant reminders given our sin nature. Imagine that. (Please here my tongue-in-cheek-sarcasm here.)

I have said often that many times I feel like God takes a 2x4 and hits me upside the head to get my attention. Over and over in the Bible He tells us how to act, what we need to focus on, and how we should live our lives. And yet we continue to ignore it and whine about our circumstances. Many times we think we can do it on our own - our own strength. That's when God takes that 2x4 to me. It's a reminder that I need Him. I can't do it alone. I prove that every single day. I need His strength to help me become the person He wants me to be.

I'm constantly being reminded how much I need God. Why am I constantly reminded? Because I constantly try to do it on my own. I loved this quote from Dr. Margaret Brand that was used in this weeks lesson:

"God never asks us to do something without supplying

the needed 'tools' for the job, be they physical,

intellectual, or spiritual.  You just begin with trust

and let Him stay in charge."

Sometimes it's hard to remember that last sentence...begin in trust and let Him stay in charge.

This week we were called to "Get Ready." We are called to prepare and set our mind to Christ. I'm reminded of a line in the movie Facing the Giants where the title character is told to "prepare for rain." In other words, trust that the Lord is going to provide and be ready when He does.

Once again I took away so much from this week's study. Not only are we called to be ready but we were encouraged to listen to the Holy Spirit's urging on our lives, to live holy lives as God created us to do, to love one another, and lastly we were encouraged to satisfy our craving - for God. 

This last one hits home. It's something I'm working on right now - craving God more than anything else. More than food. More than anything. 

I'm looking forward to week three.

Disclosure: I was provided with a copy of the book through the Kregel Publications Blog Tour program. I was not compensated in any other way. All opinions stated above are mine alone.